Remember that in this, as in all interview questions, you are still being quizzed and examined. The fact that your responses are being framed as questions for the department makes no difference at all. Your questions can’t simply be candid queries to supply yourself with information. Rather, they need to continue to reflect your fit and preparedness for the job.

That means your questions should show an understanding of the departmental and campus profile and mission, and should also indirectly communicate that you will be a pleasant and collegial colleague.

In a survey released this week, the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) found companies in the Fortune 1000 spending an average (mean) of $2.4 million on their privacy programs, with most of the budget being spent on staff and legal fees. A third of the companies responding to the survey plan to increase their privacy program staff, while only 2 percent plan to cull workers.

But good news for privacy professionals is not necessarily good news for consumers. Such programs typically focus on minimizing risk to companies from the regulations focused on protecting consumers, not necessarily on improving consumer privacy. The approach that businesses take to privacy typically depends on their customers, J. Trevor Hughes, president and CEO of the IAPP, told Ars.